Oak + Fort

Branding / Logo Design
Photography: Oak + Fort

BACKGROUND

In the summer of 2010, we had the chance to meet Eunice Quan, one of the great creative minds and fashion pioneers in Vancouver. It was early in our design careers starting out as graphic designers and this would be the first commissioned project we took on. Once brought on board, we began working with Eunice as well as Oak + Fort owner, Min Kang on conceptualizing the identity and direction for the brand. At the time, the minimalistic and monochromatic style of their products were less popularized or seen in much of Vancouver and this would present us with a unique opportunity.

DISCOVERY

From the start, Eunice had expressed to us a clear desire for the brand to be more than just a product provider, but a new expression of art, fashion, and innovation—a creative collective. The idea was to represent a holistic lifestyle—that the clothing, career, creativity and community was all connected in the same aesthetics and ideology.

A simplistic colour palette was cultivated to guide the creation across design layout in promotional materials and digital platform, information graphics, to physical spaces.

DESIGN

In keeping with the minimalistic approach of the brand, the decision early on was to use a well considered wordmark for the brand and present the identity removed of any unnecessary imagery. Much of our design consideration focused on the appropriate weight of the typeface and overall feeling of the characters. Based on design preferences at the time, the original wordmark created was set with a tighter kerning. Since then, Oak + Fort has updated the wordmark with greater tracking. As designers, it has been equally satisfying to witness the continual success and growth of the company and to have had the opportunity to contribute in a meaning way in its early beginnings.